Combinations of surfactants, such as anionic and nonionic surfactants, have proven useful in industries such as papermaking to provide detergency, wetting, dispersancy, and emulsification.
Traditionally, alkyl phenol ethoxylates have been used in these surfactant blends but have come under environmental pressure from European countries and the Great Lakes region of the United States as being less biodegradable than other surfactants. Surfactants such as alcohol ethoxylates and their derivatives should experience increased use as more environmentally sound substitutes for alkyl phenol ethoxylates and their derivatives.
Concentrated surfactant blends are most desirable for economic reasons. Unfortunately, concentrated liquid blends containing a high percentage of alcohol ethosulfate generally have low flash points as they are stabilized with ethanol to improve stability and handling characteristics. However, many industries such as the papermaking industry operate at high temperatures and cannot utilize materials having low flash points for safety reasons. Thus, the need to develop effective concentrated nonyl phenol free high flash products which were stable and capable of being pumped at temperatures as low as 40.degree. F. The present inventive composition meets these objectives.